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Original poster

I'm not quite sure what the message is here...

23 replies

theothersparticus · 21/10/2011 08:23

Just logged on to tesco to get a present for my neice and thinking lego would be awesome for a 6yo followed the links to this

Are they saying that dads don't play with toddlers? Mums don't like Star Wars? Lego is too complicated for mums? Duplo is too kiddy for dads? I cannot wrap my head around the logic of 'play with mum' and 'play with dad' divisions. Seperating the ages surely is enough?

Or am I just reading too much into this and should go get my morning coffee?

OP posts:
HecateGoddessOfTheNight · 21/10/2011 08:25

That dads aren't interested in their children below the age of four?

God knows.

Why not email them and ask them. They wrote it, they must know.

And post the reply, won't you? Grin

skrumle · 21/10/2011 08:27

please don't email them - they might change it and i'm thrilled to discover that now my children are over 4 i have no reason to play with them...

HecateGoddessOfTheNight · 21/10/2011 08:30

Grin skrumble

Trills · 21/10/2011 08:30

Play with Mum - toddlers (toddlers can't play on their own, they need a parent)
Play with Dad - age 4+ (but Dads do want to play with children too)
Play with friends - age 7+ (these are games more than building things)
Play on their own - age 5-12 (what happens at 12, can they not play with lego any more?)

The ordering of Mum vs Dad is stereotyped but probably true, mums are more likely to be at home with toddlers to play with them.

They have their 4 ranges and I can see what they wanted to say, "we have ranges for different ages and you can play with them on your own or with other people or with a parents depending on age and type" but they have not done it very well.

StewieGriffinsMom · 21/10/2011 08:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Trills · 21/10/2011 08:34

I think one person came up with "Play with... Mum/Dad/Friends/On your own" and someone else had the unenviable task of fitting those phrases to the ranges.

margerykemp · 21/10/2011 10:33

What a load of stereotyped bollocks!

Is there a way to complain?

DuelingFanjo · 21/10/2011 10:38

and then they do this! How very dare they!

DuelingFanjo · 21/10/2011 10:40

arrghh - I take it back

Trills · 21/10/2011 10:50

Only children with big red heads can play with kitchens.

Original poster
theothersparticus · 21/10/2011 11:30

I've sent polite message to Tesco asking them if they can explain the thinking behind seperating mums and dads for toys.

I can accept that toys get seperated into boys toys and girls toys (not that I'm happy about that) but telling mums that 'this is not for you' seems a bit absurd.

If I get an answer I'll post it.

OP posts:
KRITIQ · 21/10/2011 12:43

Oh, good flippin grief. You do wonder what they were thinking (or rather would prefer not to know.)

HecateGoddessOfTheNight · 27/10/2011 09:31

Did you get a reply, theother?

I had emailed them too.

They phoned me three times!

To let me know they had got the email and were passing it on, to let me know they had passed it on and it was being discussed and to let me know the outcome! It had gone to management!

The woman read a statement from management out over the phone to me!

Basically, tesco apologised for any offence, it was unintended, it has been passed back to (I can't remember what team she said now) who would be changing it. Because it requires a design change, this may take up to 7 days.

They certainly took it seriously!

I was ever so polite too. Just expressed curiousity, said that it was a topic of discussion on a website called Mumsnet and I wondered what their reasoning was.

JeanBodel · 27/10/2011 09:40

I think this must have been changed already.

BertieBotts · 27/10/2011 09:42

Haha! They've changed it to "Play with family" on both Grin

BertieBotts · 27/10/2011 09:47

I like how the one kitchen with a lone boy seems to be modelled more on a tool bench Confused

I reeeeeeally want to get DS a toy kitchen this Christmas but not sure if it would be too big. I always wanted one as a child. He's just sterted getting interested in helping with cooking, and also feeling an itching for some girl-stereotype stuff to counteract the Thomas explosion and all the other boys' toys he has. (Two tool kits!)

HecateGoddessOfTheNight · 27/10/2011 09:48

aha. it has. yesterday when they phoned to tell me they were changing it, she said it might take up to 7 days.

I guess they got straight on it Grin

StewieGriffinsMom · 27/10/2011 10:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BertieBotts · 27/10/2011 10:47

Yes he got velcro food last christmas, and I got him the ELC cash register in the sales, and a shopping basket. But no plates, pots, pans etc. In fact I may just repurpose his ikea plates etc since he more often than not uses normal ones now.

BertieBotts · 27/10/2011 10:48

Our actual kitchen is massive (but uselessly massive as anything big enough to use in the space blocks the doorway) so I think it might fit in there. Just runs the risk that he starts using actual food to play with I suppose...

StewieGriffinsMom · 27/10/2011 10:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EthelMoorhead · 01/11/2011 18:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ChickenLickn · 03/11/2011 10:54

Ethel - its because you can buy Duplo as a gift for mums with small hands. Do you have some duplo to play with? Just as much fun as an ipad, even if DCs have left for uni.

lol

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